


Man of Steel

by bluetoast



Category: Pendragon - D. J. MacHale
Genre: Gen, Heat Stroke, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-16
Packaged: 2018-01-15 23:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1322653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetoast/pseuds/bluetoast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alder's first trip off of Denduron was to meet Loor on her own world.  For someone who's lived in the mountains for all their life, the scorching sands of Zadaa aren't something to easily adapt to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Man of Steel

Alder leaned over, the cool cloth draped over his neck, fully aware of the condescending look he was getting from the younger traveler from Zadaa. He slowly sat back up, blinking once or twice. Press had told him the worn out, achy feeling would pass in a few hours. He'd never known such heat before – it was never this horrifically hot on his home territory of Denduron. He gave the tall girl a slight glare. “How is it possible for a territory with just one sun to be so incredibly hot?”

Loor folded her arms, still glaring down at him. “You are oafish – you would not be so hot if you were not so...” She thought for a moment, trying to think of the correct word. “If you were not so – _thick_.”

Alder was insulted. “I believe I understand why some people on your territory live underground.”

The young warrior sniffed and sat down across from him, her arms folded, still visibly annoyed. “I would have much rather gone with Osa and Press – were you not told it was hot here?”

“I was – I believe what my notion of hot and what it actually was were far different.” He leaned back against the sandstone wall, still feeling wholly uncomfortable. “I do not believe it is truly hot anywhere on Denduron... except perhaps in the distant valleys across the sea from where I live.”

“You are not the first person to fall victim to heat stroke, Alder of Denduron... you say that you live near a sea? What is a sea?”

The knight blinked disbelievingly at her. “You do not know?” He took another few panting breaths. “I am sorry, I do not mean to insult you...”

Loor sniffed and pushed a bowl towards the young man. “Have some fruit – eat slowly, you are still very warm.” She watched as he looked over the dish. “I recommend this one – she pointed to a softly textured slice of fruit that was yellow in color. “It is not as sweet as the others.” 

“Thank you.” Alder took the offered food and bit into it, his eyes closing slightly at the taste. “It reminds me of a vegetable that we eat on my territory – it grows in the earth... Press says they remind him of some fruit that grows on the Earth territories... I believe he called it a pear.”

Loor nibbled at her own piece of fruit. “Tell me, what is a sea?”

Alder thought for a moment. “Do you have lakes on Zadaa?”

“There are some... though I have not seen them, I have heard stories.”

“A sea is like a vast lake – large enough that when you stand on one side you can not see the other.”

“I have heard there is a territory that is nothing but water... Chloral it is called.”

“I do not believe Press has mentioned going there... he only wanted me to come with him so I might tell Osa of the situation on Denduron first hand... I did not intend to get sick.”

“I do not wish to go to this Chloral... if at all possible.” She shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

“Why?” Alder asked, helping himself to another piece of fruit.

“I can not swim.” 

The knight peered over the window frame behind him at the vast stone city and the desert beyond. “I can believe that, Loor... I do not believe you would need to know such a thing.” He looked back at her. “Just as I am not... I believe the word is _adapted_ to live in such heat.”

“You will get used to the heat in time.” She split open a loaf of bread and gave her guest the larger half. “Has Press told you of his nephew?”

“Of Pendragon? Yes.” He took the offered bread.

“I do not think much of him as of yet.” 

“You do not think much of me either, Loor of Zadaa.” He let out a few deep breaths again. “I do believe I am feeling tired again...” He set the bread down untouched. “I am sorry.”

“Do not apologize – it is better if you rest.” She started to put their meal away, not faulting the young man for his exhaustion. Press had recognized the problem for what it was. Loor also knew that the Rokadors who lived beneath the earth of Zadaa suffered from heat stroke from time to time if they were not careful. Alder of course, looked very little like a Rokador to her – other than the pale skin. But where the Rokadors were blond and green eyed, Alder was brown haired and blue eyed. He in a way reminded her of an out-sized colt. Her mother, Osa, called him by another name – he said he was very much like an animal she had seen on Second Earth – a puppy. Loor hadn't pressed her for more information on that – but if she meant that they were a eager, friendly and she'd say it – _clumsy_ sort of animal then she would believe it.

In the dark of the room, Alder had laid down, the cloth now over his eyes. “I am sorry, once again...”

“Stop apologizing!” Loor snapped. 

Alder winced behind the cloth. “When you come to Denduron, I should like to see how you handle breaking a path through snow.” 

“I will handle snow as well as I handle every thing that I must face.” Loor said, sitting back down, her chin up, proud. “What is this snow? It is like mud?”

The knight chuckled. “Has no one told you, Loor?”

“Told me what?”

“That my home is as cold as your territory is hot.” He peered out from behind the cloth, a teasing smile on his face.

“I can handle cold. Tell me, what is snow?”

“Snow is what water becomes when it freezes.” He settled back down, his grin slowly turning into a smirk.

“Freezes?” There was another concept for Loor to process. “I shall manage.” She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Is there.... is there an illness that one can catch from being to cold?”

Alder nodded. “It is called hypothermia. I am told that it can be fatal.”

“Then I shall do my best to keep warm when we go there.”

“I must apologize in advance – for I can not show you the same hospitality in my home that you have shown me here.” Alder thought of his place in the barracks in the castle, where he was sheltered from the elements, where there was running water, hot food and security – and then to where he knew Press, Osa and Loor must stay. In the shacks of the Millago village – where the people lived on floors of dirt and had very little to eat... they lived the lives of slaves. It pained him to see it – it always had. 

“Do not worry for me, Alder. I am far tougher than I appear.”

“That, I do not doubt.” He let out another breath, feeling sleep starting to edge towards him. There was one small advantage that Zadaa currently had over his own home at the moment – he could get more than a handful of hours sleep at a time. His last thought before giving over to sleep was that he was very glad the dizziness had stopped.


End file.
